Smart Electronic Materials : Fundamentals and Applications

Smart materials respond rapidly to external stimuli to alter their physical properties. This book explains the underlying physics of a wide range of these materials. It is written for graduate students in electrical engineering, material sciences or applied physics programs. It is also invaluable for engineers in research or industry.

Smart materials respond rapidly to external stimuli to alter their physical properties. They are used in devices that are driving advances in modern information technology and have applications in electronics, optoelectronics, sensors, memories and other areas. This book fully explains the physical properties of these materials, including semiconductors, dielectrics, ferroelectrics, ferromagnetics and organic polymers. Fundamental concepts are consistently connected to their real-world applications. It covers structural issues, electronic properties, transport properties, polarization-related properties and magnetic properties of a wide range of smart materials. The book contains carefully chosen worked examples to convey important concepts and has many end-of-chapter problems. It is written for first year graduate students in electrical engineering, materials science or applied physics programs. It is also an invaluable book for engineers working in industry or research laboratories. A solution manual and a set of useful viewgraphs are also available for instructors.